


Milestones

by NeverAndAlways



Series: The Winchester Family [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Childbirth, Complete, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Drabble, Gen, M/M, Morning Sickness, Mpreg, Pregnancy, Pregnant Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-05
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-02-28 05:03:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2719667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the 'Winchester Family' series.</p><p>A series of moments over the course of Dean's pregnancy, from beginning to end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And so it begins

What is it about waiting rooms that makes people uneasy? Maybe it's the atmosphere, the vague sense of foreboding; maybe it's because people in waiting rooms, like people on buses, avoid making eye contact. Or maybe it's because Castiel is a non-carrier man, and this particular waiting room is in an OBGYN office. Whatever the reason, he feels acutely out-of-place and uncomfortable. He wishes he'd been allowed to accompany Dean at this appointment. He understands why Dean said no- his boyfriend is a very private person at the best of times -but Cas still wishes he could be there. And besides, it would be better than twiddling his thumbs out here.

The office door swings open and a man emerges. Cas brightens and goes to stand up- but no, it isn't Dean. It's a tall, heavily-pregnant man, with his husband following close behind. Cas watches as they leave. It's been a long time...shouldn't the appointment be over by now? What if something's wrong? Dean and Castiel have been trying to conceive for a year-and-a-half now, and the only result has been lots of appointments like this one. They so badly want a child of their own, but maybe that's just not in the cards for them. Castiel picks up a year-old science magazine, opens it, and pretends to read. He's actually quite engrossed in an article about tardigrades when the door swings open again fifteen minutes later. Finally, it's Dean! Cas puts down the magazine and falls into stride with him as they walk to the exit.

Something is different. Dean is...glowing, for lack of a better word. As soon as the door shuts behind them, Cas steps in front of his boyfriend to stop him.

"Well?" he demands. Dean's face falls. He shuffles his feet, avoids Cas' gaze.

"I, uh...I have some bad news, Cas."

Oh no. "What is it?"

"...I'm pregnant."

Cas' emotions kick in before the rest of him does; he's already pulled Dean into an embrace and is trying to reassure him when his ears and brain finally connect. He stands back.

"...What?"

Now Dean smiles, green eyes glinting. "You heard me."

"You're pregnant??"

"That's what I said."

Cas embraces him again, this time with joy. He's happier than he's been since he first took this vessel and he wants to shout it from the rooftops for the world to hear, but he settles for holding Dean close, swaying slowly in place. Dean pulls back and kisses him, hard.

"We're havin' a baby, Cas." he whispers, and Cas just smiles.

oO0Oo 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	2. Chapter 2

Dean is dying.

He's sure of it.

He's heard of morning sickness, of course, but this isn't it- this is all-freaking-day sickness. He can't remember the last time he felt this awful. Cas is amazingly supportive and Sam assures him that it'll get better, but he doesn't really believe them anymore. At this point, he just wants to be left alone so he can die in peace.

o0o

"Dean."

Dean is slumped on the bathroom floor, leaning hard against the toilet. He's three months pregnant; shouldn't the morning sickness be over by now? Castiel is crouched at his side, holding a damp washcloth in one hand and rubbing Dean's back with the other. "Dean." he says again. His boyfriend looks up at him with bloodshot eyes.

"What."

"It's five o'clock in the morning." Cas says gently. "You have been in here for over an hour. Go back to bed, you need to sleep."

"No." Dean's voice is low and hoarse. "I don' want...oh god-" suddenly he gags, and turns to dry-heave over the toilet bowl. Cas hands him the washcloth when he's done; he wipes his mouth with it before dropping it on the floor and leaning his forehead against the toilet. He swallows thickly. "I feel like shit, Cas." he groans.

"I know."

"No you don'. You're not pregnant." Dean draws a shuddering breath. "This is gonna kill me."

Cas cracks a sympathetic smile. "No it won't. It will pass, I promise." he stands up and nudges the washcloth away with his foot, then bends over and gently hooks his hand under Dean's arm. "Bed." he says again. Dean complies. He feels way too sick to even argue.

 

When Dean is back in bed, covered with two blankets despite the humid July weather, Castiel leans down to press a kiss to his forehead before leaving. But just as he reaches for the door, Dean calls him. He pads back to the bed.

"Don' go." says Dean weakly. He moves back to make room for Cas, and pats the empty space invitingly. His eyes have just barely a hint of their usual gleam. When Cas lays down facing him, though, he scoots in close and wraps arms and legs around him like an affectionate human octopus. "Don' go." he says again, almost like an afterthought. Cas smiles. One hand comes up to card through Dean's hair. The sky outside their window is pink with sunrise and he can hear the thunder of toddler feet upstairs...but another hour or two in bed won't hurt. 

"Get some rest, Dean." he whispers. "I'll watch over you."

oO0Oo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beware: this chapter is mostly fluff!

Castiel walks up the driveway feeling rather content: he's just spent an hour grocery shopping. With a three-year-old, an ex-Trickster, and a pregnant man all living under one roof, peace and quiet is hard to come by. Not that grocery shopping is peaceful or quiet, of course, but the walk from Bobby's house to the store and back is a good time to let his mind wander.

He sets his cargo down by the door and unlocks it. When he shoulders it open, he's met with a smell that can only be described as gross. It hits him almost like a physical force. Gabriel appears to help him with the groceries, and jerks his head in the direction of the kitchen.

"I'll get these. You'd better go check on Dean-o." he says.

Cas goes through to the kitchen; the smell is stronger there, and he has to stop for a moment before going in. His shoulders sag when he sees what the odor is coming from: a pan of gently-smoking black mush in the sink. Dean is staring down at it, looking distraught.

"Dean..." Cas sighs. Dean looks up; his eyes are filled with tears. He quickly wipes them away with the heel of his hand and sniffs wetly.

"Hey."

"What happened?" Cas turns on the water, making the pan sizzle.

"Lunch happened. Or didn't. I dunno, it was a stupid idea." Dean looks around the kitchen. There are various half-mixed ingredients all over the counters.

"You don't cook." says Cas, following his gaze. He immediately regrets it when he sees Dean's eyes well up again. "I meant," he backpedals, "cooking is an activity you usually leave to me, or Sam or Gabriel. I wasn't aware that you enjoyed it."

"I don't. But I was hungry and there was nothing good in the fridge so I thought I'd make myself something, and...you know the rest." Dean sniffles again and rubs his eyes. "God, now I'm crying. I haven't cried since...I dunno when. This is all your fault, y'know." this last sentence is directed at his belly. He's just recently begun to show, and the self-consciousness isn't helping with his turbulent moods. "This is so stupid, Cas, I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. You are experiencing many changes, it is natural to be overwhelmed." he lays a hand on the small of Dean's back. "Go and rest, I'll finish lunch."

"No, I should help." Dean pauses and looks around at his handiwork. "Actually, maybe that's not the best idea..." he picks up a dishcloth and sighs. "You wash, I'll dry?"

Cas just nods, and picks up a sponge.

oO0Oo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	4. Chapter 4

"Mr. Novak? The doctor will see you now."

It's been four years since their last Hunt, but old habits die hard. Don't use your own name, can't risk being discovered. Even now. Especially now. Dean stands up with Cas, follows the smiling young nurse back to a bright white exam room. They're ushered inside, and he puts on a gown and tries to get comfortable on the paper-covered table. The nurse takes his vital signs- heart rate, blood pressure, temperature -and leaves. Then they wait. The room feels chilly and sterile; to the right of the table is a big hulking thing with a wide screen and panels of buttons that looks downright sinister. Dean tries not to look at it. He hates hospitals. All his memories of hospitals involve somebody almost dying and even though he knows this is different, it's hard to shake that feeling. He reaches for Cas, finds his hand, and laces their fingers together just as the door opens.

"Hi, Dean." the doctor slips into the room, shutting the door behind her. Her name is Kimberly; she was Sam's doctor while he was pregnant with Nate. She's a family friend, so she knows enough about them to know why they have to be secretive. After introducing herself to Cas she gets to work, examining Dean and asking questions. It seems endless. But then, finally, the big moment comes. She turns on the sinister-looking machine and applies a blob of cold, clear gel to Dean's belly. Once the machine is booted up, she unhooks a probe from the side of it that looks like a showerhead. This she presses into the gel. The screen lights up to show a small grayish shape; she moves the probe around, spreading the gel, and the shape changes. It's a bit like an inkblot test and Dean is a little skeptical- but not for long. Suddenly a head appears on the screen. It's followed by a tiny torso, then arms and legs come into focus, curled up as though sleeping... his baby. That's his baby. His breath catches in his throat.

"There you are." says the doctor. She turns to Dean. "Well, Dean, your little one looks very healthy. No defects that I can see, and it's about the right size for its gestational age..." she moves the probe a little more, changing the image. "Would you like to know the gender?"

It takes Dean a moment to even realize she's addressing him. He shakes his head. "No," he says- just as Cas says "Yes". Kimberly arches an eyebrow. "I mean...I want it to be a surprise." he glances at Cas, who shrugs and nods his consent.

"A surprise it is, then." Kimberly agrees. "I'm still gonna take a look, because I have to document it, but my lips are sealed."

Dean lets his head fall back on the table. There doesn't seem to be a word for what he's feeling right now. Sure, he knew the baby was there, but in a way this makes it more real. Actually seeing it, living and growing inside him, is...wow. He's not gonna cry, he really isn't. Dean turns his head; it looks like Cas is feeling the same way. He's never seen his eyes so blue.

"Alright. One more thing to do here, then I'll let you guys go." Kimberly's voice makes Dean jump; he almost forgot she was there. She presses a few buttons, moves the probe again, and suddenly the room is filled with a tinny, rapid whooshing noise, like a dishwasher heard underwater. Dean lifts his head again.

"...the hell is that?"

"That," the doctor says with a smile, "is your baby's heartbeat."

Dean definitely does not cry.

...well, maybe a little.

oO0Oo


	5. Chapter 5

It's four o'clock in the morning. By rights Dean should be asleep right now, but he isn't; he's being beaten up. Slowly. From the inside. Every time he tries to lay down and get comfortable, the baby starts turning somersaults. So instead of being in bed with Cas, he's taking a tour of the house. It's almost funny to think that just a few weeks ago, he was worried because the baby wasn't kicking much...how the tables have turned. He knows it's just a waiting game, though: eventually, either the kid will calm down or he'll get too tired to care about the constant pummeling. The question is, who's going to give up first?

"C'mon, let your dad get some sleep. Please? Just fifteen minutes...ow! Ten minutes?...alright, how 'bout you go to sleep instead?"

Dean is sitting at the bottom of the stairs, cradling his belly with both hands and softly talking to it. The dark circles under his eyes show just how long it's been since he got a full night's sleep. He's six months pregnant now; the morning sickness is gone, but some nights he'd gladly have it back if it meant even five hours of uninterrupted shut-eye. He's pretty sure he has the world's most active baby. Even Nate didn't kick this much, and Sam had more than his own share of sleepless nights.

"Look, sweetheart. I love you, I really do, but this has got to stop. I'm the landlord, remember? And I'm pretty sure the rules say you can't kick your landlord in the bladder at 4:00 a.m." Dean yawns, then winces. "Ow, hey! Are you even listening?" he massages his belly and yawns again. "...fine. Let's go for another walk."

o0o

Twenty minutes later, Dean is right back where he started with nothing to show for it. The baby is still doing gymnastics, and no amount of strolling, rocking, or swaying seems to help. God, he just wants to sleep. Is that too much to ask? He's almost out of ideas-or maybe not. Didn't Sam play music for Nate? Maybe he's still got the headphones somewhere...Dean hurries away to his room.

When he finally digs out the CD player and headphones, it's almost dawn. He stretches out on the couch, puts a QUEEN CD in the player, and cautiously puts one headphone on each side of his belly. "Hope you like Freddie Mercury, kiddo..." he sighs and presses 'play'. As the first few bars of "Bohemian Rhapsody" filter quietly through the headphones, the kicks and punches begin to slow down. Another few bars, and they've stopped altogether. Finally. He'll have to thank Sammy later. Dean ghosts a hand along the side of his belly. There's a tiny flutter under his hand- maybe a foot, maybe an elbow -but it feels almost lazy, not frantic like before. He smiles and shuts his eyes. And that's where his boyfriend finds him a little while later: fast asleep with the now-silent headphones still attached to his belly. Cas doesn't have the heart to wake him. Instead he removes the headphones, drapes a blanket over him, and goes back to bed. And Dean sleeps on.

oO0Oo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is probably too long to count as a drabble, but I hope you like it anyway!  
> (Also, I apologize in advance for the medical inaccuracies; I only know as much as I've been able to research.)

When Castiel first inhabited his vessel, he found sleep to be unsettling and unnecessary. The idea of voluntary, prolonged unconsciousness just didn't appeal to him. In recent years, though, he's really taken a liking to it, especially since it means more time with his boyfriend. Naps are also quite nice, particularly on chilly days. So when he's roughly shaken awake one cold October afternoon, he's a little annoyed- until he opens his eyes and sees a frightened Dean standing beside him. Then he sits bolt-upright.

"Dean, what's-?"

"We gotta go to the hospital. Now."

"Why, what's the matter?"

Dean takes a deep breath before answering. "I think I'm going into labor, Cas."

Cas can almost feel the blood drain from his face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes...no. Not really. All I know is, I'm having contractions and they hurt and I don't think they're Braxton-Hicks." he presses his hands to his belly and moves them down and around toward his back. "Right here, every ten minutes on the dot." his eyes are wide when he looks up at Cas. "It's too early, Cas, I can't have this baby yet. He's not gonna make it."

Cas has already gotten up and is heading for their room. "I'll get your bag; you call the doctor." he calls over his shoulder.

 

Halfway to the bedroom, Cas is intercepted by his brother. "Whoa, hey. Where's the fire, little bro?" Gabriel chuckles as he steps out of Cas' way. Cas doesn't even bother to stop.

"Dean is in labor; I'm taking him to the hospital."

"Beg pardon?" Gabriel follows him into the bedroom, all traces of laughter gone from his voice.

"You heard me."

"In labor? Like, the real deal?"

"Yes." Cas slings their overnight bag onto his shoulder.

"I'll get my coat." Gabriel disappears.

"Why?"

"I'm comin' with you. Moral support."

"But Sam-"

"-will be fine, I'll call him on the way there. C'mon."

o0o

The hospital is only a fifteen-minute drive from Bobby's house, but it feels like hours. Gabriel insists on driving (normally, something Dean would let him do only grudgingly), so Cas can sit with Dean in the back. He's seen Dean lose his cool like this only once or twice, years ago; it's just as hard to watch now as it was then. Physical trauma he can fix in an instant - cuts, gunshots, broken bones - but this? He's pretty much useless. All he can do is sit there and watch and try to keep Dean calm.

Dean is wheeled away almost as soon as they arrive. Nurses seem to be swarming everywhere and Cas barely registers what they're telling him. He just wants to be with his boyfriend. He has to know that Dean is okay, that their baby is okay. Humans have such a gift for frightening themselves; with every minute that passes he worries more about Dean, and his mind cooks up all kinds of scenarios for what might be happening. By the time Dr. Kimberly appears to give him an update, he must look like death warmed over. She just smiles, though, and calmly gives him the news: Dean is going to be fine.

It feels like a weight has been lifted from his chest. Behind him, Gabriel cracks a smile. The first words out of his mouth, once he can speak again, are "May I see him?"

"Of course." the doctor leads them to the elevator. As it glides up through the building, she turns to Cas. "I have to warn you," she says, putting a hand on his shoulder, "we've given Dean a medication to stop the contractions, but it's going to make him a little woozy. He may not seem like himself."

"I understand." Cas nods. The elevator doors open, and they follow Kimberly to a room at the end of the hall. The door is half-open; Cas slips inside and freezes. Dean certainly doesn't look like himself: his face is flushed as though he just ran a mile, and there's an IV line in each arm and straps across his belly. He seems dead to the world at first, but the sound of the door makes him open his eyes. He smiles weakly at Cas.

"Hey, don' I know you from somewhere?" he slurs.

"Hello Dean. How are you feeling?"

"Still kinda hurts, but 'm'okay. An' th' doc says the bab...the **baby** is gn...gon..." Dean thumps his fist on the mattress. "Gonna. Be. Fine! Dammit." his smile wavers for a moment; he sighs. "Sorry. 'S the medicine, I sound like I'm drunk..." he silently fusses with his IV port. 

"Are you alright, Dean?" Cas sits down on the edge of the bed. He can read Dean like a book, much to Dean's annoyance. His boyfriend just shrugs and stares into the middle distance. "Dean, look at me." Dean turns back to him; blue eyes stare into bloodshot green.

"'M fine." says Dean.

Cas doesn't say a word. He doesn't have to. Soon enough, Dean looks away. "I'm scared, okay?" he says, pronouncing every word carefully. "I hate this place, Cas. Last time I was in one of these beds, I almost died."

"But you are in no danger now."

"I know. Look, I don' wanna talk about it, okay? They're letting me go home t'morrow, we can talk 'bout it then." with that, he turns over as much as the straps on his belly will let him. That's that, then. Cas brushes his fingertips against Dean's shoulder, right where his handprint used to be. Then he rises and leaves the room. Later, when Dean is asleep, he comes back to sit with him; boyfriend or not, he's still an angel. It's his duty to watch over Dean.

oO0Oo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter is mostly fluff, but it gets a little NSFW.

Dean rolls over. It's hard to get comfortable, even in bed, when you've got a watermelon-sized growth on your front. He's been on bedrest for two months now, since he went into preterm labor...well, it's not really bedrest. He isn't actually bedridden, but he can't exert himself much more than walking around the house. That means no playing with his nephew, no Hunts, nothing. He's going to go crazy. It doesn't help having Sam, Bobby, Gabe, and Nathaniel around, fond as he is of all of them; between his family and the baby, it's starting to feel like he can't get a moment alone. So even though he isn't confined to bed, he's been spending a lot of time there.

"Good afternoon."

Castiel closes the bedroom door behind him and pads across to the bed. Dean rolls over again - with some difficulty - and sits up. "Is it really...?"

Cas arches an eyebrow. "Did I wake you?"

"Nah. Couldn't get comfortable anyway. What's up?"

"Sam sent me to check on you."

"Sure he did..." Dean eases himself back onto the pillows with a jaw-cracking yawn. "Well, you can tell Sammy I'm fine. Haven't exploded yet." he pats the space beside him. "He can also check on me himself, if he's that worried. C'mere." Cas smiles. He lays down next to his boyfriend, and casually drapes an arm across his belly. Dean puts his own hand over it. "Baby's kickin' like crazy today." he whispers. Cas hums acknowledgement and starts moving his hand in a slow circle. From Dean's navel, up toward his chest and back down, again and again. Dean sighs happily. "You're amazing, dude."

"Mm."

Suddenly Dean tightens his grip on Cas' hand, lacing their fingers together and lifting it to stop it from moving. Then, with an awkward little shuffle, he turns and kisses Cas deeply. It takes Cas a moment, but once he recovers from the surprise he reacts with enthusiasm. His tongue darts out to graze Dean's lip. Dean moves closer in response. Cas breaks the kiss just long enough to redirect it to Dean's jaw and then his neck. Pretty soon his hand starts to stray- back to Dean's belly, then lower. His fingers graze down to where hip meets torso; this earns him a little satisfied noise, so he moves lower. But when he reaches Dean's crotch, Dean stiffens- and not in the way he'd hoped. His hand snakes down and catches Cas' wrist.

"Don't."

Cas' brows knit together. "Am I hurting you?"

"No. Never. I just...can't do that stuff right now, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Cas assures him, but Dean can tell he's a little disappointed. He kisses Cas again, gently this time, and he's slow to pull away.

"I love you. A lot." he says quietly. "And I wish I could, but I can't."

"I understand. I will leave you alone." Cas starts to untangle himself from Dean, but Dean only wraps his arms more tightly around him.

"Hey. Did I say you could leave?" he grins, and there's just a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I'd still like your company. Gotta have as much time together as we can before the baby gets here, right?"

"Indeed." Cas settles back into bed and Dean snuggles as close as his belly will let him. They're quiet for a moment, just enjoying each other's presence, before Dean speaks up again.

"Don't think you're off the hook, though. I'm still gonna hold you to that offer."

Cas just smiles and shuts his eyes. A minute later, they're both out cold.

oO0Oo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like the story so far, please leave a comment- I'd love to hear from you!


	8. Chapter 8

Dean's labor, when it finally comes, takes them by surprise. They had half-expected it to be like Sam's- slow to start and slow to progress, giving them ample time to prepare. But no: it hits hard and fast and leaves them reeling. In the space of just two hours, the contractions go from fifteen minutes down to four. Another 45 minutes, and Dean is ready to push. Meanwhile, everyone hurries to get ready: Gabriel keeps Nathaniel occupied while Sam gathers the necessary supplies, and someone starts a movie as a distraction.

Throughout all of this, Cas almost surprises himself with how calm he is. When Dean started having contractions at six months, it was terrifying; now, it's as though he's observing everything from a distance. He watches Dean sink into the rhythm of the contractions, watches him withdraw inside himself and close out the world. Even when they settle together on the bed to ride out the last phase, Dean's eyes look right through him. He's in a world of his own. Cas has to draw him out of it periodically to remind him to breathe; it's not easy, but he can always tell when Dean's back to reality, because he swears.

The transition phase doesn't hit Dean as hard as Sam, but it's difficult nonetheless. Dean is still lost inside his head; he keeps a vice-grip on Cas the whole time, and shivers and groans and tries to get away from the pain. Then suddenly he's back, just like that, with a jarring sort of focus in his eyes. From then on everything is a blur. Dean pushes until Cas wonders how he has any strength left, and keeps pushing- and then, there she is. His daughter. Their daughter. Their Emma. For nine months they had expected a boy, but this little girl is absolutely perfect. Suddenly, Cas almost understands God's love for the human race. It's overpowering. All he can do is stare at her; he dislikes cliches as a rule, but if love at first sight really does exist then, well, he's head-over-heels. It's like the first time he met Dean, but this love is much more fierce and protective. They're a family now: he'd go to the ends of the earth to keep them safe.

Dean sleeps soundly, as though determined to make up for the past five months. The same can't be said for Emma, though; she's up and wailing before dawn. This is their life now, Cas thinks as he watches Dean feed her. At least for the next three or four months...just the thought of it makes him tired. He remembers Sam and Gabriel when Nathaniel was first born. He isn't looking forward to that kind of exhaustion. But at the same time- as cheesy as it may be -he loves Dean and his daughter so much that he almost doesn't care. This is where he belongs. 

oO0Oo 


End file.
